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“Doesn’t mean you can’t try out.” His brows wiggle under his hair. “I’m there. Figured you would be, too—you seem like the go-getter type. Auditions are in two weeks, so you better work somethingup.”
He takes off, and I stare afterhim.
Then I type a message on myphone.
There’s a response five minuteslater.
Beck: Meet me inP69.
It takes me ten minutes to figure out P refers to the practice rooms, not parking, but there’s no69.
It takes me another five minutes to find the closed door with a small window and P69 carved into thedoor.
I knock on the door, and it opens an inch. Inside, Beck’s sitting in a desk chair, feet propped on ashelf.
“What is this place?” I ask. “It looks like a supplycloset.”
“Practice rooms are hard to come by. Sometimes you gotta grab whatever you canfind.”
He pulls the door open, and I wedge myselfinside.
“What’re you working on?” I look at his computer and the book in front ofhim.
“King Lear. And my vlog.” He nods at his computer. “New episode everyweek.”
I glance as his profile, my brows lifting. “That’s a lot ofsubscribers.”
“Half wanna watch me strip. Half are actually interested in what I have to say.” He cocks his head. “But you wanted to hear about the showcase. It’s the BFD. You want to get noticed in this city, that’s how you do it. The biggest casting agents, producers, directors—everyone comes. You see the EGOT walldownstairs?”
I think of the portraits in the main hall. “Hasn’teverybody?”
“All of ‘em not only played the showcase but closed it. And I happen to know who’s gonna close this year.” Hegrins.
Electricity hums through my body. “You mean yourroommate.”
Beck shrugs. “The guy’s a beast with a guitar. Everyone thinks it’s going to be hisyear.”
“What do you think?” Iask.
He shifts back in his chair, braces one foot on the table he’s rigged up as a desk. “I might be more Shaw and Shakespeare than Stryker or the Stones, but even I can tell that dude’s gonna burn up a stage. And my roomie needs a break. Be patient. You’ll have your shot nextyear.”
“It’s supposed to be an open competition, Beck. Are you afraid I’ll take it fromhim?”
He smirks, appreciation flashing in his eyes. “I’m not worried about you beating him head to head. I’m worried about you messing with his head.” Surprise slams into me as he continues. “I saw you at Leo’s. You were good. Thing is, it wasn’t nearly as interesting as watching my roommate watchyou.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I don’t know what thatmeans.”
“Doesn’t matter. What I’m saying is Ty’s been through some shit and if anyone deserves a break, it’shim.”
Surprise washes over me. “Why? What happened tohim?”
“Not my place to say. But he’s good people, Manatee. The bestpeople.”
An ache forms low in my gut. “Here. At least let me move this box. You’ll have moreroom.”
He shifts over an inch, and I manage to pry a box of nails off the floor and stick them onto a shelf. When I look up, Beck’s watchingme.
“You think working your ass off in a supply closet isn’t glamorous,” he guesses. “But it is, because here’s thesecret.”
